


Bring Down the Mountain

by DualWieldingCousland (DualWieldingMama)



Series: The Other Regan [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-14
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 19:09:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3740299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DualWieldingMama/pseuds/DualWieldingCousland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And of course, all hell breaks loose when Regan & Cullen try to figure out how to defend Haven against ... well, you know ....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bring Down the Mountain

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place in Haven – some in-game dialog included, slight deviation from game with regards to conversation and parties involved (Dorian & Cole on Roderick duty)

“We have to get everyone to the Chantry!”

She heard Cullen shout and did her best to direct those nearest to her toward the gates. “Get moving. You have to hurry!” She plucked a small child from the snow and passed him off to Blackwall as they sprinted past the remnants of the blacksmith’s home, followed closely by their blacksmith. Almost immediately after Cullen’s men slammed the gates shut, they heard a desperate knock.

“If someone could open this, I’d appreciate it.”

Frantically wondering who they had forgotten, Regan and Cullen pulled the gates open again while Bull and the others continued herding people toward the Chantry. Just outside, a mage collapsed; one Regan had never seen before. He struggled to his feet, using his staff for support. The pair rushed out to meet him, with Cullen lifting one arm over his shoulder for support and Regan going for the other. 

“Ah, I’m here to warn you,” the mage groaned, rather thankful for the help. He had pushed himself a bit harder than he was used to. “Fashionably late, I’m afraid. My name is Dorian Pavus and I bring grave news from Redcliff.” He let the pair guide him through the gates and hoped they would believe him. “An army of rebel mages is right behind me. They march under the command of the Venatori, in service to something called The Elder One.” Regan ducked out from under his arm, letting him lean on Cullen and his staff so she could hurry another few children along. “The woman is Calpernia. She commands the Venatori. They’re already marching on Haven. I risked my life to get here first.”

She looked over at Cullen, fear in her eyes. She’d heard that the mages had been … indentured … to some Tevinter magister and hadn’t been able to bring herself to trust them for help with the Breach. She’d planned on investigating further once the Breach was closed, but it appeared to be too late. It wasn’t that she was scared of mages, exactly. It was just … an army, an actual army of mages, rebel or no, could do a lot of damage. And they were heading for Haven. She had innocent people to protect. “Cullen, give me a plan. Anything!” 

He could hear her voice crack, just the slightest shake in her tone. He had no real plan; there was no time to come up with anything. Until everyone was in the Chantry, they risked losing a lot of people. “Haven is no fortress,” he replied, not particularly wanting to acknowledge the situation they were in. “If we are to withstand this monster, we must control the battle.” He gestured for a few of his men to go with her and moved to her side. “Get out there and hit that force; we must use everything we can!”

“Get the people into the Chantry,” Regan all but ordered. She knew there would be panicked civilians in the town. While they had gotten several recruits eager to join the solders, more were incapable of fighting. Plus, there were children. “Cullen, please.” She rested a hand on his shoulder and gently tried to turn him toward the stairs when she realized he intended on coming with her. “There are scared children here. Get them to safety. We’ll take care of out here.” She wanted him with her, but she needed him to help the others more. They’d worked too hard to make Haven a safe place, he’d worked too  
hard.

He nodded once and took off running, ordering several of his men to check every building for people who might need help moving. He hated the idea of leaving her to fight off the mages, but he knew she was right. He’d never be able to live with himself if he didn’t help these people. He just prayed she’d make it to the Chantry as well. He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if she didn’t. 

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Regan practically dived through the Chantry door behind Bull and Cassandra, wincing as she landed roughly on her right side. She could hear Chancellor Roderick encouraging the last few stragglers through the door. She rolled onto her back just in time to see him stumble, falling against Dorian. She watched as Cole seemed to appear out of nowhere to help guide the badly injured man to a seat. “Brave man,” Dorian consoled, looking the badly wounded man over. “He stood against a Venatori.”

“Briefly,” the chancellor replied as Regan struggled to her feet. “I am no templar.”

She was about to say something, check on the man’s condition, make sure everyone had reached the Chantry … something so she didn’t have to think about the dragon that had laid waste to their defenses so easily. She was about to, but Cullen interrupted. 

“Herald, our position is … not good.” He sighed, shaking his head. He didn’t understand how things had gone so sideways so fast. “That dragon stole back any time you might have earned us.” He started pacing, aware of her eyes and the fear behind them. “There has been no communication, no demands; only advance after advance.”

“There was no bargaining with the mages, either.” Dorian left the Chancellor with Cole, unsure exactly where the young man had come from, and moved over to join the pair. “This Elder One takes what it wants, when it wants it. From what I gathered in Redcliff, it marched all this way to take your Herald.”

“Me?” Regan couldn’t stop the question from coming out as little more than a squeak. If it meant saving all these people, could she - . “I don’t care what it wants.” If the scared squeak in her voice hadn’t surprised her, the sudden shift to anger did. “How do I stop it?”

Dorian smiled faintly, little more than a pained smirk. “Trust me, that is not information I would keep to myself.” He gestured toward the closed doors frowned. “And it was such a promising start, with the landslide and everything. If only trebuchets remained an option.”

“They are,” Cullen interrupted, surprised. He had caught a glimpse of the battlefield as he was herding people in. There was one trebuchet still standing. It had been completed only that day, and no one had had a chance to test it yet. “Or, one is. If we could turn it to the mountains above us ….” He hated the idea. It would essentially destroy everything they had worked so hard for. It would wipe out the town, the Chantry …

“We’re overrun!” Regan couldn’t believe what she was hearing, not at first. “To hit the enemy, we’d bury Haven!” It would kill everyone – everyone they’d worked so hard to save. It would undo everything they had done, everything she had believed would help. He would die, along with the rest of them. She didn’t want that.

“This is not survivable now,” Cullen pointed out, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter than necessary. He saw the fear in her eyes and wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and tell her it would be alright, that everything would be fine. But he knew that would be a lie, and she knew it too. “The only choice left is how spitefully we end this.”

“Well, that’s just not acceptable,” Dorian interrupted, all but shoving himself between the commander and the herald. “I did not race here only to have you drop rocks on my head.”

“Should we just submit, then?” Cullen practically bellowed, momentarily forgetting his audience. “Let him kill us?” He heard tiny whimpers and frightened cries behind him and covered his eyes. He’d forgotten about the scared children, farmers, people who had never seen the atrocities of battle until now.

“Death is typically a last resort, not first.” Dorian was getting angry now, moving closer to the man arguing with him, almost relegating Regan to the background as they argued. “For a templar, you think like a blood mage.”

Regan saw Cullen’s hand clench into a fist. She could see him tensing, getting ready to swing. That had been a low blow, and she knew Dorian had meant it that way. She reached out to try and stop him when Cole piped up, startling everyone. “Chancellor Roderick can help. He wants to say it before he dies.”

They all listened as Roderick slowly explained. He was weak, losing blood quickly, and his voice was barely above a whisper most of the time. But he knew of a secret way out of the Chantry. It would take them to the mountains, allow them to escape, to put some distance between them and the monster. It might allow them to reach safety before the mountains came down on Haven. 

“What about it, Cullen? Will it work?” She wanted him to say yes. She needed him to say yes, say it would keep him, them all safe.

“Possibly,” Cullen replied carefully, eyeing the chancellor. They had butted heads so many times since the Inquisition was formed. Was he being truthful? “If he shows us the path.” He waited as Cole lifted Roderick and directed one of his men to help in getting their guide moving. There was something gnawing at his gut, though. If this plan worked, the person manning the trebuchet … she planned on that, didn’t she? He could see it in her eyes. She would be …. “But what of your escape?” He found himself nearly fighting tears as she looked at him, nothing but sad resolution in her eyes. She knew she wouldn’t be rejoining them. And then she looked away. “Perhaps you will surprise it, find a way to … to ….” He stopped speaking when she started walking away, shoulders slumped with the weight of what she was about to do. “Inquisition, follow Chancellor Roderick through the Chantry! Move!”

Well, she’d done what she’d set out to do, hadn’t she? She had said she’d close the Breach, and she’d done it. She’d just planned on having … longer to enjoy that fact. She had been planning on getting to know him better; their chat on the dock kept playing over and over in her mind. She hadn’t expected everything to just be … cut short.

Cullen moved, reaching out for her. He rested a hand on her shoulder and gently turned her around. He tried his hardest not to get lost in those eyes. She had to come back. She had to find a way. She just had to. “My men loaded the trebuchet before they had to retreat. Keep the Elder One’s attention until we’re above the tree line. One of the mages will send a signal when we’re safe. If we are to have a chance –.” His voice broke, nerves clenching at his stomach, his throat, his everything. “If you are to have a chance, let that thing hear you.” 

She nodded, trying to ignore the fear that started clawing at her insides. “Keep them safe, Cullen. I’m counting on you to get everyone out.” She forced a smile as he nodded, giving her hand a squeeze. And then, he was gone, and she was alone.


End file.
